Ornamental double-walled tumbler



May 16, 1961 G. s. NALLE, JR 2,984,035

ORNAMEN TAL DOUBLE-WALLED TUMBLER Filed June l5;Y 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a5 V l I l V15 76 y j@ Y .75

INVENTOR @Ea/655, /wwL/ SJAZ ATTORNEY May 16, 1961 G. s. NALLE, JR

ORNAMENTAL DOUBLE-WALL@ TUMBLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 15, 1960 INVENTOR /vfuqJ/P.

United States atentO 2,984,035 v ORNAMENTAL DOUBLE-WALLED TUMBLER George S. Nalle, Jr., 108 W. 2nd St., Austin, Tex. Filed June 15, 1960, Ser. No. 36,197 Claims. (Cl. 40-324) This invention relates to tumblers or drinking glasses. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a tumbler whose walls are heat-insulating. Another ob-V ject is to provide a tumbler having a unique and attractive appearance which is attention-compelling, promoting sales and pleasing the users of the tumblers. Another object is to provide a tumbler which may have ornamentation, or legends, messages or `advertisements embedded in the lower portion of its transparent side walls. A further object is to provide a tumbler which may. carry a humorous or political or personal message (such as a St. Valentines Day message), or even an advertisement in its bottom wall, which message or advertisement can be read only when the contents of the tumbler have been drained by the drinker. Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from or will be pointed out in the'followng description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilcationi Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tumbler, omitting the design which may -be viewed on the lower part of the tumbler;

Fig. 2 is a vertical diametralsection through the same;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of lFig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross section shown on a large scale;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the ornamental printed sheet which is embedded in the double walls of the tumbler;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing one of the three lugs that interlock with the bottom edges of the sheet of Fig. 5 to hold it in proper position within the tumbler; and

Fig. 7 is a cross section through the outer shell of the tumbler showing the angular disposition of the three bottom lugs.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the tumbler of my invention preferably comprises four parts, namely, an outer tumbler shell 10, an inner tumbler shell 11, a printed paper disk 12 interposed between the two bottoms 13, 14 respectively of shells 10, 11, and an ornamental sheet 15 interposed between the nested side walls 16, 17 of said shells. The inner shell 11 tapers toward its bottom 14, has a flared upper edge 18, and has a sloping annular shoulder 19 spaced preferably about Ms in. below the upper edge 18. Preferably both shells are of transparent plastic material. In any case, if it is desired to have printed matter on the bottom disk 12 which may be read when the tumbler is empty, the inner shell must be transparent. If the bottom disk 12 is omitted, the inner shell 11 could be a translucent plastic body whose color will pleasingly contrast with or else complement and intensify the color of the ornamental sheet 15.

'I'he outer shell 10 must be of transparent or translucent plastic material, preferably colorless. It is shorter than the inner shell 11, so that its upper circular edge.

20 labuts the outer Awalls of sloping annular shoulder 19,

Patented `May 16,

when the two shells are nested together as shown in Fig. 2. In the space between the two nested shells the orna mental sheet 15 (Fig. 5) is inserted. Sheet 15 is preferably of paper or cardboard, has four sides or edges, is preferably brightly colored, preferably is ornamented with some lgures or designs 21 printed near its lower edge Z2, and preferably has la multiplicity of narrow dark lines 23 printed thereon. The dark lines 23 may be spaced apart A2 in., measuring from center to center. The end edges 24, 25 are convergent while other two edges 22, 27 are arcuate and have the same center or axis, so that the llexible sheet may be bent to t around the tapering walls of the inner shell 11, when the parts are being assembled, with edges 24, 25 meeting. The lower arcuate edge 22 has three notches or cut-outs 28 for receiving three equally-spaced lugs 29 formed integrally with shell 10 on the inside thereof adjacent its bottom. See Figs. 6 and 7. These lugs 29 ensure the proper angular positio`ning of the printed sheet 15 in the assembly. This angular positioning is important to Ibring about an optical effect partially illustrated in Fig. 1 and described below.

0n the exterior Walls of the outer shell 10 a multiplicity of llutings 35 are formed. These flutings are parallel and have rounded or convex outer surfaces, Figs. 3 and 4. The flutings extend from the top edge 20 of shell 10 to a plane about 11/16 in. from the bottom thereof. The area 36 below the lower ends of the flutings is clear transparent plastic, thus serving as a window through which is seen the design 21 printed on sheet 15. (It will be understood that design 21 may be omitted if desired, and in that case, the window area 36 need not be provided, and the llutings 35 may extend clear to the bottom of the tumbler.) The printed dark lines 23 on the sheet 15 are not parallel to the flutings 35 but are disposed at a very acute angle thereto, say 4, which givesreproduced as it changes with the position ever, Fig. 1 shows the general nature of this optical ef-l feet. The dark areas 40 of Fig. 1 change in shape, area and position with every angular movement of the tumbler about its axis, or what is the same thing, with every movement of the observers eyes relative to a stationary tumbler. The dark Iareas 40 obscure the color of sheet 15, but Abetween said dark areas the color is seen clearly through the transparent walls of the outer shell. As previously stated, the design or ornamentation 21 is seen through the clear shell area 36. In lieu of a design or ornamentation as 21, a name, a legend or a message may be printed on sheet 15 to be read through the outer shell area 36.

When the tumbler is in use, the spaced walls of the nested shells 10, 11 have a considerable heat-insulating effect, so that a cold drink stays cold longer, without moisture or dew dripping from its outer walls, while a hot drink stays hot longer, and can be held in the hand without discomfort. This heat-insulating eifect may be enhanced by the interposition of sheet 15 between shells 10, 11, since this sheet may be of such a nature as to provide a heat-barrier. lf desired, bright metal foil, or foil combined with paper, may be used to minimize transmission of radiant heat through the composite walls of the tumbler, the outer surface of such paper being appropriately colored and printed as described above.

The outer shell is shown in Fig. 2 as cemented at its upper edge 20 to the shoulder 19. If preferred, the shells may be permanently united by a plastic weld, or temporarily united in various ways, for example, an elastic band (not shown) which is removable so that sheet 15 may be removed and replaced by other sheets bearing different designs, messages etc., while the bottom disk 12 may be removed and other disks substituted. Thus the Ysame tumbler vcould 'be made adaptable to different social, political and religious occasions and to difT'erent seasons of the year, eg., Christmas, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc.

In the preceding description there are a number of references to printing vand printed matter. All such matter need not be printed but could be embossed, engraved, carved, painted, or otherwise marked on the disk 12 and on the lower portion of sheet 15 so as to be observed through the transparent walls of the Itumbler. Various other changes may be made in the tumbler, and I do not wish to be limited Yto the foregoing description of what is merely one embodiment of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An ornamental tumbler comprising, 'in combination, an outer shell of translucent material having tapering side walls and a bottom integral with 'said side walls; an inner shell having tapering side Walls and a bottom integral with its side walls; the outer shell being shorter than the inner shell and both shells being nested; means uniting the two shells Where the upper edges of the outer shell are adjacent to the outer walls of the inner shell; a multiplicity of flutings formed on the side walls of the outer shell and extending longitudinally of said shell in nearly parallel planes, said fiutings transmitting light; and a ilexible sheet interposed between the side walls of the two nested shells, said sheet having generally parallel closely spaced dark lines on the Vsurface thereof that faces the inner walls of the outer shell, said dark lines extending at sharply acute angles to the planes of the nearly parallel utings and producing in conjunction with the utings an optical elect that changes with the position of the observers eyes relative to the tumbler.

2. The invention defined in claim l, wherein the dark lines are equally spaced apart about 12 to the inch measured circumferentially of the tumbler and are at an angle of about four degrees to the planes of the utings.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet has an ornamental design on its outer surface, and the flutings extend from the top of the outer shell to a point spaced above the bottom of the outer shell, said outer shell having a transparent area extending all around it below the utings to provide a window through which said ornamental design may be seen.

4. An ornamental and heat-insulating tumbler comprising, in combination, an outer shell of transparent plastic material; an inner shell of transparent plastic material; the two shells being nested; means uniting the two shells where the upper edges of the outer shell are adjacent to the outer surface of the inner shell; both shells having side walls which are spaced apart; both shells having bottoms which are spaced apart; a disk bearing printing matter on its upper surface, said disk being interposed between said bottoms; the printed matter on the disk being observable through the transparent bottom of the inner shell when the contents of the tumbler have been drained; the side walls of the outer shell having generally parallel closely spaced fiutings lying in vertical planes; said ilutings extending from the top of the outer shell to a plane spaced a substantial distance above the bottom of the outer shell; Asaid o'uter Shell having a transparent area extending all around it below the utin'gs 4to provide a window; and a flexible sheet having a multiplicity of dark lines on its outer surface, said dark lines being generally parallel and closely spaced and lying in planes that make a sharpy acute angle with the vertical planes of said utings; said sheet being held fixed in the space between said side Walls and its dark lines together with the transparent utings creating an optical eiect that changes with the position of the observer relative to the tumbler. Y

5. The invention dened in claim 4, wherein the sheet has cut-outs on its lower edge and the outer shell has lugs on its inside adjacent its bottom entering said cu'touts to properly position said sheet angularly between said shells.

References Cited in the tile of this 'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

